High Court upholds planning permission for 21-turbine Castlebanny wind farm in Kilkenny

The High Court has dismissed a legal challenge seeking to overturn planning permission for a 21-turbine wind farm at Castlebanny, County Kilkenny.

In a newly delivered ruling, Mr Justice Richard Humphreys refused to quash the planning approval granted for the €175 million development. The judicial review proceedings had been brought by the group Save the South Leinster Way alongside writer Tara Heavey.

The planning decision was originally granted by An Coimisiún Pleanála in September 2022 following consideration of approximately 70 third-party submissions. The legal challenge, which was launched in November 2022, had been before the courts for nearly four years.

In his determination, Mr Justice Humphreys declined to quash the permission despite finding in favour of the applicants' legal arguments regarding planning objectives concerning the Freshwater Pearl Mussel.